Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

ANT100 MIDTERM > ARCHAEOLOGY > Flashcards

ARCHAEOLOGY Flashcards

1
Q

archaeology

A

the stuff that makes up our lives (materiality and material culture/remains)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

materiality

A

of the material world

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

archaeological evidence

A

artifacts, buildings, sites, settlements, features, stratification, matrices, ecofacts, dates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

archaeological sites

A

concentration of materials that represent past behaviors/a construct imposed on landscapes of continuous activity; stronger with multiple lines of evidence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

excavation

A
  • provinence: place of origin; use X, Y, X coordinates; stratigraphic deposit; association; produces context
  • stratification: layers of natural and human generated deposits; reveal site formation and material accumulation; change through time/space; method of relative dating
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

survey

A
  • pedestrian: findings in open spaces (fields, shorelines) where archaeological sites may be
  • aerial: use of higher viewpoint (satellite images, aerial cameras) to identify archaeological sites
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

interpretation

A

shaped by social theory; socio-political milieu; used to understand the past

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

themes in archaeology today

A
  • decolonization: return artifacts and historical narratives (british museum)
  • heritage: role in heritage, structural violence, oppression (immigrant remains)
  • climate change: role in environmental contexts
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

history of archaeology

A
  • late 19th/early 20th century as aspect of colonialism
  • european’s travel to the middle east to excavate and steal artifacts
  • ur region (state in mesopotamia)
  • displaced people and land
  • heritage does not equate to preservation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

archaeology and heritage

A
  • archaeology is undergoing shifts in practice and purpose due to the undeniable links to heritage and culture
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

paleolithic stone tools

A
  • lower paleolithic (old stone age)
  • pleistocene (series of ice ages)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

flaked stone fundamentals

A
  • flintknapping: process of making tools by striking a stone hammer against hard material to break off small pieces (flakes)
  • percussion flaking: apply pressure to the edge of a hard material to shave off small pieces (flakes)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

oldowon (stone tool)

A
  • 2.5 - 1.7 million years ago
  • cores and flakes; hominins selected raw materials well (durable)
  • found in africa and associated with H. habilis
  • uniform in shape across space and time
  • used for scavenging and hunting; revealed hominin can plan, problem solve, learn, and adapt
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

acheulean (stone tool)

A
  • 1.6/1.7MYA - 100/200KYA
  • lithic industry associated with H. erectus and H. heidleburgensis and neandertals
  • signature tool: handaxe
  • first tool found outside africa
  • bifacially worked, symmetrical, multi-purpose (cut, saw, slice, dig, etc)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

middle paleolithic

A
  • 300 - 40KYA
  • diversity in genus homo (neandertals, denisovans, H. floresiensis, modern humans)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

mousterian (stone tool)

A
  • associated with neandertals
  • flakes made using levallois technique; leftover flakes become tools (sidescrapers, points, etc)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

levallois technique

A
  • prepared core that produces “tortoiseshell” flakes
  • skill and time needed
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

upper paleolithic

A
  • 40 - 10KYA
  • when humans dispersed around the world
  • made blades (elongated flakes); eleborate prep = can be made into other tools (microblades, cores, points)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

clovis technology

A

projective point (12,800 - 13,250 cal BP)
- part of clovis first hypothesis idea
- game/large mammal hunting
- beringia (land bridge); ice-free corridor; 15-13.5KYA; became habitable as corridor opened from alaska to the rest of the USA

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

clovis

A

type of fluted point

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

critique on clovis

A
  • disconnects people from their past; shallow indigenous presence (colonialism); pre-clovis sites in the west; clovis homogenizes complex lifeways
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

meadowcroft rockshelter

A
  • archaeological site in pennsylvania
  • produced pre-clovis remains
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

paisley caves

A
  • archaeological site in oregon
  • many uses -> 14,500 years’
  • produced pre-clovis remains
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

monte verde

A
  • archaeological site in chile
  • 14-15KYA
  • produced pre-clovis remains
  • wooden bone/tools; pole/skin houses; plant remains
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

coastal migration theory

A
  • glacial refuge, marine adaptation, “kelp highway”
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

radiocarbon dating

A
  • good for wood, shell, bone, antler
  • carbon 14: unstable carbon isotope; organisms absorb 14C while alive; good for sites that are 60,000+ years old
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

early art

A
  • blombos cave: 70,000 BP
  • 2 pieces of ochre with designs and a shell with ocher pigment
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

neandertal art

A
  • cave paintings, modified eagle talons
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

H. sapien cave art

A
  • first art found in sulawesi, indonesia from 45,000 years ago
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

sensory experience of cave art

A
  • portable art: carved stone, bone, antler, ivory, and fired clay (40KYA)
  • venus figurines (women) found in large settlements 25KYA
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

human relationship with fire

A
  • was it controlled? or accidental?
    how has fire affected evolution
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

cooking hypothesis

A
  • by wrangham (origin of fire and genus homo)
  • cooking makes food nutritious and edible
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

earliest use of fire

A
  • koobi fora: valley with red soil in kenya (1.6MYA); unsure if controlled or accidental
  • wonderwerk cave in south africa: found wood ash from 1MYA; likely controlled use
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

micromorphology

A

method of collecting/analyzing stratigraphic sediments at microscopic levels
- cut block of sediment -> soak in resin -> slice thinly -> observe under microscope

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

controlled use of fire in cold climate

A
  • 400,000 years ago
  • madjedbebe rock shelter: charred plant food cooked in hearths -> shows environmental change through glacial/interglacial periods
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

aboriginal australians

A

controlled burns/firestick farming: land burning in wet season to butn away flammable bush
- resource management; increases biodiversity; increase kangaroo/monitor lizard populations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

controlled fire

A
  • allows for illumination, socialization, safety, rituals, etc
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

fire changes clay and metal

A
  • pottery/ceramics: fired clay; particles “sinter” together and form solids via heat/pressure
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

making of clay vessel

A

collect clay -> remove inclusions -> add temper (material added to stabilize and change properties) -> shape vessel (paddling + anvil, wheel, coiling) -> decorate and fire

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

examples of early fired clay

A
  • upper paleolithic baked clay: baking clay in dolni vestonice with 2 kilns to make 2300 figures (25,000 years ago)
  • fire pottery using kiln and open firing
  • pottery originated 20,000 years ago in china, japan, eastern russia
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

why is pottery significant?

A
  • pottery is part of the neolithic revolution
  • hunter-gatherers used pottery vessels 10,000 years before farming (used to process acorns)
  • wild rice was used as a temper in pottery = allows for bigger and heavier pots
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

pottery, food, and ritual in ancient china

A
  • pottery used in farming and everyday rituals in longshan culture = communicate with and provide for the ancestors
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

mettalurgy

A

science of the property of metals
- cold hammering, annealing (heat to reduce bitterness, then hammer it), smelting
- copper is most common, and sometimes requires furnace smelting

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

bronze

A

adding other elements to copper makes it stronger and more durable = bronzemaking

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

bronze age

A

3 age system: 19th century classification in europe and middle east (stone, bronze, iron)
- egypt, greece, mesopotamia, north europe
- societies evolved which accompanied other traits of evolution

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

critique to bronze age (other examples that do not fit within stone, bronze, iron)

A

eurasian steppe
- bronze smelting 5000 years ago by semi-mobile pastoralists and agropastoralists

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

critique to bronze age (other examples that do not fit within stone, bronze, iron)

A

sintashta culture
- settlements and burial tumuli where bronze was used for ornaments and weapons
- chariots, horses, and wagons = chinese contact

47
Q

critique to bronze age (other examples that do not fit within stone, bronze, iron)

A

northeastern china (central plains)
- erlitous/xia dynasty
- spearheads from steppe appeared in china
- bronze vessels made from molds used for ritual ware; mimic ceramics and added lead to increase molten flow

48
Q

critique to bronze age (other examples that do not fit within stone, bronze, iron)

A

africa
- sub-saharan africs (nigeria, niger, rwanda, tanzania)
- distinct melting techniques and diversity in furnaces
- metallurgy introduction is debated
- iron weaponry used for political expansion in west africa
bronze guilds in benin; bronze was actually wood, ivory, brass and eventually looted by britain

49
Q

ethicality in archaeology

A
  • intrnational heritage legislation
  • british museums looting of greek panthron
  • NAGPRA: process for museums and institutions to return indigenous artifacts
50
Q

domestication between people and animals

A
  • land resource management strategies, early farming, and animal husbandry
51
Q

floral and faunal remains

A
  • archeobotany: macro and micro plant remains
  • zooarchaeology: animal bones and DNA in soil
52
Q

land resource management strategies examples

A
  • mortar and pestle grinding of plant remains to make flour in australia
  • indigenous fishing of salmon, eulachon, and herring
  • plankhouse contruction which was identified by depressions on the land
  • mass capture fishing
53
Q

younger dryas

A

cold snap at the end of the paleoscene

54
Q

how to distinguish wild/domesticated plants

A
  • different genetic structure
  • morphological differences (diff phytoliths and starch grains)
  • macroscopic remains (wildgrass has smaller seeds and shattering rachis compared to domesticated grass)
55
Q

how to distinguish wild/domesticated animals

A
  • domesticated animals are usually smaller in size, more docile, reduction in horn size (if any)
56
Q

natufians

A
  • 15 - 11KYA
  • wide rang of hunter-gatherers living in southwest asia
  • economy focused on wild plants/animals
  • semi-sedentary settlements (distinctive: circular, subterranean stone dwellings)
  • found: bladeliths, sickles, grinding stones, storage pits, roasting ovens
  • hunted gazelles by using controlled burning to enhance habitat and population
57
Q

shubayqa 1

A
  • wide variety of plants
    started making bread 14KYA
58
Q

catalhoyuk

A
  • 9100-7700 years ago
  • domesticated sheep, goat, cattle
59
Q

acorns, rice agriculture, and pottery in china

A
  • long and multi-faceted process; settlement around wetlands; first grinding of stones (28KYA)
  • rice farming
60
Q

mesoamerica

A
  • guila naquitz cave (squash and maize; teosinte -> maize)
61
Q

the andes

A
  • domestication of camelids (llamas and alpacas) in the highlands
62
Q

poverty point

A
  • louisiana, USA
  • no indication of social inequity
  • center of pilgrimage (raw materials: chert, copper, soapstone)
63
Q

eastern agricultural complex

A
  • northeasters north america
  • knotweed, goosefot, etc. are domesticated and used for textiles
  • replaced by 3 sisters agriculture
64
Q

domestication of bananas and taro

A
  • in papua new guinea
    kuk swamp: wetland agriculture system 10,200 years ago
65
Q

aggregation or urbanism

A
  • household based economy, no specialized buildings, no settlement hierarchy
  • catalhoyuk is an example of aggregation of farming households
66
Q

urbanism in mesopotamia

A
  • 7KYA
  • temple centres, ubaid periods (belief system, control of ritual, trade, irrigation)
  • eridu: temple centre in babylonian myth
  • city stakes and uruk periods
  • cuneiform: stylus used to write on wet clay (for laws and langauge)
  • ruling class: many non-elites were farmers and specialists
67
Q

indus valley (harappan)

A
  • 2600-1900 BC
  • long distance trade, water systems to hold rainwater, religion
68
Q

mohenjo daro

A
  • 4500-5000KYA
  • largest indus city -> compounds with artisans workshops and markets -> acropolis/citadel with public gatherings and religious events
  • graneries: storage or administration
69
Q

urbanism in china

A
  • erlitou is not earliest state
  • longshan period: increasing violence, population decline, and resettlement of lowlands and making erlitou&highlands the city center
70
Q

erlitou

A
  • 1900-1500BC
  • 4 tiered settlement hierarchy -> 30,000 person tall wall
  • workshops for bronze across complex
71
Q

anyang

A
  • capital of shang dynasty (1500BC)
  • became territorial state and densely populated
  • oracle bones first appeared
72
Q

angkor

A
  • present day cambodia
  • 700,000-900,000 population
    how lidar is changing how we understand demographics/cities
  • lidar: laser scanning landscape
73
Q

urbanism in africa

A

developed 3000 years ago; no single cause; some politically dominant / some show little political control

74
Q

great zimbabwe

A
  • aron age and controlled trade with cities on indian ocean despite being landlocked
  • wealth due to trading of gold and ivory
75
Q

urbanism in west africa

A
  • emerged from dense aggregation of villages
  • ile life: aggregation of mega-house politics (city states with varied size and influence)
76
Q

mesoamerica

A
  • taube 2023 -> the olmec (mother culture 3800-2600 years ago)
  • settlement hierarchies organized around regal-ritual centres or cities
77
Q

san lorenzo

A
  • first ritual and political center in mesoamerica
  • stone sculpture and obsidian blade production
    acropolis includes palace, admin, temples, causeways, and enbankments
78
Q

la venta

A
  • gains political control of region -> civic and ceremonial center
79
Q

zapotec

A

monte alban (2500 years ago)

80
Q

teotihuacan

A
  • 80,000 people (1200AD)
  • power based in religion, warfare, and trade
81
Q

urbanism in north america

A
  • cahokia: built from realignment of existing farm settlements (largest in country)
  • maize-bean-squash farming base
  • 10,000 people -> city built around central plaza and pyramid complex
  • monks mound: city laid along cosmological principles
82
Q

material culture

A
83
Q

Stratigraphy/Stratification

A

Stratigraphy is the study of rock layers (strata) and their arrangement in the Earth’s crust. It involves examining the sequence, composition, and age of these layers to interpret Earth’s history and the processes that have shaped it. By analyzing the vertical order and characteristics of these strata, geologists can infer past environments, events, and changes in the Earth’s surface over time.

84
Q

Core/Flake (stone tools)

A

Cores and flakes are stone tools created through the process of flint knapping. Cores are the larger, often rounded, pieces of stone from which flakes are struck off. Flakes, the smaller pieces, are detached from cores intentionally to form tools with sharp edges utilized by early humans for cutting and other tasks during the Paleolithic era.

85
Q

Lower, Middle, and Upper paleolithic Technologies

A

The Lower Paleolithic era (2.5 million – 300,000 years ago) is characterized by simple stone tools like choppers and handaxes made by Homo habilis and Homo erectus. The Middle Paleolithic (300,000 – 30,000 years ago) saw the development of more refined tools such as Mousterian tools like scrapers and points used by Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens. In the Upper Paleolithic (50,000 – 10,000 years ago), advanced tools like blades, burins, and harpoons were crafted by modern humans (Homo sapiens), displaying increased sophistication in craftsmanship and cultural expression.

86
Q

Cave art: sites and interpretations

A

Cave art refers to prehistoric artistic expressions found in caves worldwide, notably in sites like Lascaux in France, Altamira in Spain, and Chauvet in France. These sites showcase elaborate paintings and engravings dating back thousands of years, depicting animals, human figures, and geometric shapes, possibly serving as a form of storytelling, religious or ritualistic practices, or communication within early human societies. Interpretations suggest these artworks offer insights into the spiritual, cultural, and daily lives of ancient civilizations, providing valuable clues about their beliefs and practices.

87
Q

Upper Paleolithic aggregation sites, pottery( Dolni Vestonice. Kharaneh IV)

A

Upper Paleolithic aggregation sites like Dolní Věstonice and Kharaneh IV reveal evidence of early human settlements where people congregated in larger numbers. These sites feature evidence of social complexity, possibly including semi-permanent dwellings, hearths, and various artifacts. Additionally, Dolní Věstonice is notable for its early ceramic artifacts, specifically ceramic figurines and fired clay, suggesting an early form of pottery-making during this period.

88
Q

Archaeobotanical evidence

A

Archaeobotanical evidence comprises plant remains found at archaeological sites, providing insights into ancient human diets, agriculture, and environmental conditions. These remains include seeds, grains, pollen, and plant fragments preserved in sediment or through carbonization. By analyzing these botanical remains, researchers can understand past agricultural practices, trade networks, dietary habits, and the impact of humans on local ecosystems throughout history.

89
Q

Zooarchaeology

A

Zooarchaeology is the study of animal remains at archaeological sites, aiding in understanding ancient human-animal interactions, hunting practices, and the exploitation of fauna for food, tools, and other purposes. It involves analyzing bones, teeth, and other animal remains to reconstruct past environments, economies, and human subsistence strategies.

90
Q

Pre Pottery Neolithic and related sites

A

The Pre-Pottery Neolithic period represents a stage in human cultural development before the invention of pottery, characterized by the emergence of agriculture and sedentary life. Related sites such as Jericho in the Levant and Çatalhöyük in Anatolia showcase early evidence of settled communities, farming, animal domestication, and the gradual transition from hunter-gatherer societies to agricultural-based civilizations.

91
Q

Abu Hureyra

A

Abu Hureyra is an archaeological site located in modern-day Syria, showcasing evidence of one of the earliest Neolithic settlements dating back around 13,000 years ago. It’s notable for providing insights into the transition from hunter-gatherer societies to early agriculture and domestication of plants and animals, revealing changes in human lifestyles and the shift towards sedentary communities.

92
Q

Gobekli Tepe

A

Göbekli Tepe is an ancient archaeological site in southeastern Turkey, dating back over 11,000 years. It is renowned for its massive stone pillars arranged in circular structures, suggesting a complex and advanced level of monumental construction, and is considered one of the earliest known examples of monumental architecture and organized religious or ceremonial practices

93
Q

Kuk Swamp

A

Kuk Swamp, situated in Papua New Guinea, is an archaeological site displaying evidence of early agriculture dating back over 10,000 years. The site showcases early human cultivation of taro and other plants, offering insights into the origins and development of agriculture in the region.

94
Q

Eastern Agricultural Complex

A

The Eastern Agricultural Complex refers to a group of plants domesticated by Native American societies in eastern North America around 5,000 to 3,000 years ago. This complex includes plants like squash, sunflower, marshelder, and several others, representing a significant shift from hunter-gatherer practices to the cultivation of native plants.

95
Q

Three sisters and spread of Maize into Andean Region and Eastern North America

A

The “Three Sisters” refer to the agricultural practice of planting maize (corn), beans, and squash together, commonly practiced by Native American societies. Maize spread into the Andean region and Eastern North America around 4,000 to 3,000 years ago, likely through trade networks and cultural diffusion, leading to its incorporation into local agricultural systems and diets alongside other native crops.

96
Q

Mesopotamia: Uruk and Ur. Also cuneiform; ziggurats and other elements of urban life

A

Mesopotamia, specifically the cities of Uruk and Ur, were prominent urban centers of ancient Sumer, known for their advanced civilizations and significant contributions to early human development. They featured monumental architecture like ziggurats (temple towers), developed the earliest known writing system called cuneiform, and exhibited various elements of urban life such as specialized labor, centralized governance, trade, and social hierarchies, marking significant advancements in human civilization during the ancient Near East.

97
Q

Catalhoyuk

A

Çatalhöyük is an ancient Neolithic site in present-day Turkey, considered one of the oldest and largest known settlements dating back to around 7500 BCE. It’s notable for its unique architectural layout with closely packed mudbrick houses, absence of streets, and vivid wall paintings, providing insights into early community life, religious practices, and the transition to settled agricultural societies

98
Q

Urbanism in northeast China: Longshan, Erlitou, Anyang, and Oracle Bones

A

Urbanism in northeast China saw the emergence of significant ancient cultures like the Longshan, Erlitou, and Anyang, characterized by advanced city planning, craft specialization, and social complexity around 2500 to 1000 BCE. Anyang is particularly renowned for its association with the Shang Dynasty and the use of oracle bones—inscribed animal bones and shells—as a form of divination and recording, offering valuable insights into early Chinese writing, religion, and political practices.

99
Q

Harappan Civilization

A

The Harappan Civilization, also known as the Indus Valley Civilization, thrived in the Indus River valley in present-day Pakistan and northwest India around 3300 to 1300 BCE. Renowned for its sophisticated urban planning, advanced drainage systems, standardized weights and measures, and intricate cities like Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, it stands as one of the world’s earliest and most enigmatic ancient civilizations.

100
Q

North American Graves Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)

A

The North American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) is a U.S. federal law enacted in 1990, mandating the return of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred items, and cultural artifacts to their respective tribes or culturally affiliated groups. It aims to address the historical injustices and safeguard the rights of Indigenous peoples by ensuring the respectful treatment and repatriation of their ancestral remains and cultural heritage held by museums and federal agencies.

101
Q

How is the term decolonization used in archaeology?

A

In archaeology, decolonization refers to a critical approach aimed at challenging and dismantling colonial legacies, biases, and power structures inherent in archaeological practices, interpretations, and relationships with Indigenous communities. It involves fostering collaborative and ethical research methodologies, respecting Indigenous knowledge and perspectives, and actively working to address historical injustices and disparities in archaeological investigations and heritage management.

102
Q

Stonehenge

A

Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in Wiltshire, England, constructed over several phases between around 3000 BCE and 2000 BCE. Comprised of standing stones arranged in a circular pattern, its exact purpose remains a subject of debate among scholars, with theories suggesting religious, ceremonial, and astronomical significance in relation to solstices and lunar events

103
Q

Metalworking: examples of early metalworkers and some basic elements of smelting technology

A

Early metalworkers, such as those in the ancient Near East and Mesopotamia, developed early metallurgical techniques around 6000 BCE, utilizing copper and its alloys. Smelting technology involved extracting metals from ores by heating them in furnaces with charcoal, where the high temperatures would separate the metal from the rock, a process fundamental to the early stages of metalworking.

104
Q

Urbanism in West Africa (Ile Ife)

A

Urbanism in West Africa, notably in Ile Ife, signifies the development of ancient cities characterized by complex societies, skilled artisans, and intricate cultural expressions. Ile Ife, dated around the 4th to 15th centuries CE, was a prominent center displaying evidence of urban planning, sophisticated metallurgy, and artistic achievements, serving as a cultural and political hub in the region.

105
Q

Great Zimbabwe

A

Great Zimbabwe is an ancient archaeological site in southern Africa, showcasing the ruins of a sophisticated city that thrived between the 11th and 15th centuries. It served as the capital of a powerful empire, displaying impressive stone structures and suggesting an advanced society with skilled artisans, trade networks, and political organization

106
Q

Angkor

A

Angkor refers to a vast archaeological site in Cambodia, encompassing the remains of the Khmer Empire’s capital cities from the 9th to the 15th centuries. The site, including the iconic Angkor Wat temple complex, exhibits remarkable architectural achievements, religious monuments, and hydraulic infrastructure, reflecting the Khmer Empire’s cultural and political significance in Southeast Asia.

107
Q

What is archaeological interpretation? Why is it important? What pitfalls are there?

A

Archaeological interpretation involves analyzing and making sense of archaeological evidence to understand past human behavior, culture, and societies. It’s crucial for constructing historical narratives and gaining insights into ancient civilizations, but pitfalls may arise from subjective biases, incomplete data, or misinterpretation of artifacts, potentially leading to flawed conclusions about the past.

108
Q

Partage

A

Partage archaeology refers to a system where artifacts and findings from archaeological excavations are shared or divided between the host country and the archaeologists or institutions conducting the excavation. It aims to facilitate collaboration, preserve cultural heritage, and ensure equitable distribution of archaeological discoveries, often involving agreements between local authorities and foreign researchers.

109
Q

Mesoamerican urbanism: Olmec, Teotihuacan, Maya

A

Mesoamerican urbanism showcases advanced city-building among cultures like the Olmec, Teotihuacan, and Maya, spanning different periods and regions in ancient Mexico and Central America. Each civilization exhibited sophisticated urban planning, monumental architecture, and complex social structures, contributing to the cultural richness and historical significance of Mesoamerica.

110
Q

Inca and their predecessors (in terms of urbanism)

A

The Inca and their predecessors in the Andean region, including civilizations like the Tiwanaku and Wari, were adept at constructing impressive urban centers with intricate planning and monumental architecture. These societies showcased advanced engineering, such as terraced agriculture, extensive road systems like the Inca Road, and elaborate cities like Machu Picchu, demonstrating their sophisticated understanding of urbanism and infrastructure.

111
Q

Cahokia

A

Cahokia refers to an ancient Native American city located near present-day Collinsville, Illinois, characterized by its monumental earthen mounds and extensive urban planning. As the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico, Cahokia flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, serving as a hub for trade, culture, and religious activities among Mississippian societies.

112
Q

Rapa Nui

A

Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, holds archaeological significance due to its enigmatic giant stone statues called Moai and its unique cultural history. The study of Rapa Nui’s archaeology reveals the island’s ancient civilization, its societal complexities, the construction methods of the Moai, and the environmental challenges that led to societal changes

113
Q

Hunter-gatherer land management strategies

A

Hunter-gatherer land management strategies in archaeology encompass a variety of techniques such as controlled burning, selective harvesting, and landscape modifications to enhance resource availability. These methods, observed in various hunter-gatherer societies globally, illustrate their intentional manipulation of environments to support sustainable lifestyles and optimize resource procurement.

114
Q

Pre-Clovis

A

The pre-Clovis period in archaeology refers to the time before the Clovis culture, an early Paleoindian culture known for distinctive stone tools. Pre-Clovis evidence, found at various sites in the Americas, suggests human presence prior to the traditionally accepted Clovis era, challenging and expanding our understanding of the peopling of the Americas.

115
Q
A

ANT100 MIDTERM (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions